To what degree is advertising slowly turning into short term, performance driven marketing, and are brands sacrificing long term equity for immediate return on investment?Retail media has brought advertising directly to the point of purchase. Does this represent the ultimate evolution of marketing efficiency, or the narrowing of brand building into pure conversion mechanics?Agentic commerce and large language model driven discovery are beginning to reshape how consumers find and buy products. How fundamentally will these technologies change the structure of commerce?If artificial intelligence systems increasingly mediate discovery and decision making, will brands need to optimize more for algorithms than for human emotion, and what does that mean for differentiation?Are we at an inflection point where technology is redefining the balance of power between brands, platforms, and consumers, and who stands to gain the most in this next phase of commerce?

You’ve built BTR Media into a 9-figure business with a 95%+ client retention rate — without chasing growth for growth’s sake. What has been the hardest part of scaling while staying true to your people-first and relationship-first philosophy?You describe BTR as the “Ritz-Carlton of Amazon Advertising.” What does that look like in practice, both for your clients and your team?You’re passionate about helping others overcome limiting beliefs. What’s one limiting belief you personally had to break through as a founder, and how did it change the way you lead today?The future of retail media: With retail media growing across Amazon, Walmart, and Instacart, where do you see the biggest white space opportunities for brands to stand out in the next 2–3 years?What are you most excited about right now — for yourself, your clients, and for the retail media industry as a whole?What’s one message you’d like to leave our listeners with today? 

You focus on building strategies that start with understanding the consumer. How has putting the consumer at the center of your decisions shaped your most successful digital initiatives?Brands today operate across retail, pure-play eCommerce, and DTC channels. What are the biggest challenges in creating a seamless experience, and how do you approach solving them?With your experience in performance marketing and advanced measurement, how do you blend data insights with creative strategy to drive meaningful growth?From launching high-converting storefronts to testing new digital platforms, what have been the most important lessons in scaling digital initiatives effectively?If viewers remember one key insight or piece of advice from this conversation, what would you want it to be?

You've had quite an unconventional path into retail media — you came in from the vendor side, not from ad tech or media agencies. Can you walk us through that journey and what ultimately led you to building Topsort? A lot of retailers are now a few years into their first retail media network and starting to ask hard questions about whether the technology they built on is actually going to take them where they need to go. What are you seeing out there, and what does it really cost a retailer to get that foundation wrong?One thing that stands out about Topsort is the emphasis on experimentation — real A/B testing — at the infrastructure level. Why does that matter so much, and when you add AI-driven optimization into the mix, what do you think a retail media network starts to look like that's genuinely different from what most people are running today?From the brand side, there's a lot of budget flowing into retail media right now but also a lot of frustration. What are CPG brands asking for that most networks still can't deliver — and how should brand leaders be thinking about holding their retail partners accountable in a way that's different from how they evaluated trade spend?With Amazon, Walmart, and Instacart continuing to mature as networks, there's a real question about whether mid-market and regional retailers can stay competitive for brand dollars. What's your honest view on where this market goes — and where do you think independent RMNs actually have a structural advantage?

Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of personal branding and how professionals can stand out in today’s noisy digital world?What’s one message or takeaway you’d love every listener to walk away with after this conversation?You’ve talked about becoming your industry’s go-to expert—what were the key steps in your own journey that helped you earn credibility and authority?Many professionals struggle to clarify and monetize their message. What advice do you have for turning expertise into a clear personal brand that attracts dream clients?You’ve seen experts across industries—health, food, fitness—turn niche knowledge into massive followings and businesses. What are the patterns you’ve noticed that others can model to build a personal brand that grows consistently over time?

 Tell us about your journey—from finance and strategic planning at AXA to leading data strategy for some of the world’s most iconic beauty and luxury brands. What drew you into this world, and how has your background shaped your approach?You work at the intersection of data and creativity—especially in industries that have traditionally been emotionally driven. How do you balance the power of analytics with the intuition that drives beauty and luxury?You’ve worked with some of the biggest names—Chanel, Dior, L’Oréal, and more. Can you share an example where data-driven insights led to a surprising or game-changing commercial outcome for a client?What are some of the biggest opportunities or shifts you’re seeing in the beauty and luxury industry over the next few years? Where should brands be leaning in—or rethinking old habits?What are you most excited about for the future of beauty, luxury, and data? Whether it’s technology, consumer behavior, or new ways of working—what’s lighting you up right now?  

You’ve worked across B2C and B2B, brand and performance, and multiple global markets. Looking back, what moments or decisions most shaped the marketer you are today?You were running a €100m eCommerce operation as early as 2006, well before most brands truly understood digital. What did getting “early reps” in eCommerce teach you that still gives you an edge today?Retail media has become one of the fastest-growing forces in marketing, and you’ve been writing and speaking about it for years. What do you think most brands are still getting wrong about retail media right now?You’ve worked across continents cultures and channels. What’s the biggest marketing myth that sounds smart in boardrooms but completely falls apart in the real world?Looking ahead, what excites you most about the next phase of marketing and where do you believe ambitious marketers should be investing their time and skills over the next few years?

You’ve spent 25 years leading major omnichannel businesses across Amazon, Walmart, Target, and other national retailers. How did that experience shape your approach to sales and business development?What inspired you to pivot from leading large retail businesses to tackling the growing returns crisis at REBEL?How do you help brands turn the challenge of returns and overstock into recovered revenue and reduced waste?Can you share an example of how partnering with REBEL has created both financial and environmental value for a brand?Looking ahead what trends or changes in the retail ecosystem excite you most, and how do you see returns and sustainability evolving over the next few years?

Simon, looking back at your career, what were the defining moments that shaped you into the leader you are today, especially in tech-driven businesses?You’ve led multiple companies through both organic growth and acquisitions. How did those experiences influence your approach when you took on the CEO role at Syndigo?Syndigo is at the forefront of AI-powered Product Experience Management. What are some initiatives or transformations you’ve led there that you’re most proud of?How do you see Syndigo’s role in shaping the future of commerce, and what excites you most about the potential of AI and data in driving better product experiences?For entrepreneurs and leaders looking to innovate in technology and commerce, what lessons from your journey—both prior to and during your time at Syndigo, would you say are most important?

Can you remind everyone about Kroger Precision Marketing?Tell us about your announcement with Google this week.Incomplete measurement is a top pain point for many brands. With this new reporting, what specific “aha” moments can brands expect to see that they couldn’t see before?How do brands activate?Why is this kind of collaboration between Google and retailers important to brands?How does this change how brands should think about the role of Kroger or Google in their overall media strategy, and how does this help brands reach shoppers at every step of their journey?